Jun 26, 2015

People's confidence in the church has fallen
dramatically over the past four decades, hitting an all-time low this
year of 42%. It now ranks fourth behind the military, small business and the police, and just ahead of
the medical system.

Why the drop in confidence? Poor behavior on the part of some religious leaders has caused
serious self-inflicted wounds for the church and organized religion --
damaging its image. At the same time, the nation is becoming less Christian and less religious,
and those outside of Christianity naturally view the church with less
respect.

In spite of falling levels of confidence, you can build parents' confidence in your ministry. Here are 5 keys.

Make safety and security a top priority. Their child's safety is a big deal to parents and rightly so. They want to know that their children are safe in your care. A thorough on-boarding process for new volunteers including a background check, a check-in / check-out system, clear evacuation plan, rules like a minimum of two volunteers in each room and other steps will build parents' confidence in your ministry. Here is more critical information about parents' safety expectations at church and how to meet them.

Excellence. Children's Ministry done with excellence breeds confidence. Excellence is found in doing the small things well. It's in the details. This includes everything from proofreading before printing to keeping your rooms clean to doing events well.

Follow through. When you make a promise...follow through. When a parent calls and leaves a message...return the call that day. Respond to parent emails within 24 hours.

Communicate. Effective communication is essential. Keep parents in the know. Newsletters, parent Facebook pages, text messages and take home papers are just a few ways you can communicate with parents.